Game thread: Mariners 3, Rangers 1, bottom of 8th

Hisashi Iwakuma notched a perfect first inning in his showdown against Japanese countryman Yu Darvish at Safeco Field.

Ian Kinsler hit a solo homer in the top of the fourth to get Texas on the board in a 3-1 game, but it’s one of only two hits by the Rangers so far and we’re in the bottom of the fifth. Hisashi Iwakuma had been perfect up to Kinsler’s homer and also did not allow a walk until there were two out in the fifth.

It was the first walk all season issued by Iwakuma — a span of 18 innings. That’s the second longest streak to start a season without a walk by a Mariners pitcher since Cliff Lee back in 2010 when he went 22 1/3 innings.

7:30 p.m.: Well, that was a very un-Mariners-like rally in the first inning. Jason Bay got hit by a pitch, moved to second on a wild-pitch by Yu Darvish, then took third on a single by Kendrys Morales. Raul Ibanez then lined a ball into center field to score Bay with the first run. But then, after a long lineout by Justin Smoak moved Morales up to third, a young guy came through with a key extra-base hit as Kyle Seager ripped a double down the right field line past diving first baseman Mitch Moreland to score a pair.

Mariners lead it 3-0. Unreal.

6:45 p.m.: For those who missed the memo, tonight game is a big deal in Japan, since it will feature two native sons going at one another in Yu Darvish of the Rangers and Hisashi Iwakuma of the Mariners. Both are off to strong starts so far this season, though the Mariners will have a depleted lineup going out there tonight against the right-hander with both Michael Morse and Michael Saunders on the bench nursing injuries. Franklin Gutierrez is also sitting as the Mariners try to keep him healthy. That’s a lot of home run power to be sacrificing — 11 of the team’s 15 homers to date have been clubbed by those three.

Endy Chavez will be the fourth leadoff hitter used in less than two weeks by the Mariners as he goes up against his former Rangers team.

Keep an eye on any possible retaliation by the Mariners for Morse getting plunked last night. Though I’m not sure whether that part of the North American baseball “code” registers with Iwakuma. It’s a long weekend for these clubs, though, with two games still to be played after tonight.